On the Run
by DragonOfHeaven14
Summary: Post Journey's End and after The Next Doctor, the Doctor finds out he's somehow become a universal outlaw. He doesn't know how, he doesn't know why, but he knows he can't figure this out alone and the only person he can trust to help him is Donna.
1. It All Began, part 1

It started out subtle. So subtle, the Doctor didn't even notice what was happening until he suddenly found himself running faster and farther than before. But this time, his warning wasn't from Rose with _Bad Wolf_ written everywhere, but a message picked up by the TARDIS from what appeared to be from Sarah Jane Smith.

_Run, Doctor. They're after you. Don't trust anyone._

There were whispers as he walked through cities of various times; citizens who stared, then turned away as his gaze caught theirs. Subtle things. And then it finally progressed to the Judoon appearing at not one traveling adventure of the Doctor's, but sixth, twelfth, and thirty forth - which he barely escaped them that time as they had become more aggressive and harder to trick by himself.

He needed help and someone he could trust... which is why there was a royal blue envelope in Donna Noble's mail that day.

_A request for interview... Your qualifications match and exceed our expectations for this position... Sincerely, TARDIS Enterprises_

The Doctor knew Wilfred would see this and understand who it's from and encourage Donna to meet him. Or maybe she'd laugh and throw it away forcing him to kidnap her in the middle of the night. Either way worked, but he preferred the less noisy method.

Donna had been settling back into her old life. It hadn't been easy though. She felt as though so much was missing from her life and she couldn't put her finger on it. Her mum ensured her it was from the 'car accident'. She couldn't recall any accident, but her mum told her it was all part of the amnesia. And her mum was on hand to fill in the blanks of any awkward questions like - 'What happened to that bloke you were travelling with? Ditch you for a fit bird, did he?' Thanks Nerys. Apparently, said bloke died in said car accident...

Wilf, on the otherhand, just seemed to look at her with the saddest eyes and whenever she asked why he'd always shrug it off and change the subject. She just wished she could remember!

She thumbed through her post. Junk, junk, bill, rejection, junk, rejection, bill, junk... TARDIS Enterprises? She couldn't even remember applying for a position with them. The agency probably sent her details to them. Fancy blue envelope? Probably a posh place.

Oh well. Might as well take a chance. All her other applications just lately had been rejected. And with that in mind, she got herself showered, dressed in her best interview suit, did her hair, shined her shoes, borrowed the car and headed off to the enclosed address.

The Doctor sat nervously in the lobby of a generic business building, watching people walk buy as he briefly slouched further down his chair. Doubt began spreading in his mind if this plan would actually work as the mental image of Donna laughing and throwing the envelope in the trash bin grew stronger as the seconds ticked by.

And then he was proven wrong as a flash of bright red hair belonging to his best mate walked through the door, causing him to nearly fall out of his seat as he awkwardly hurried to stand up.

"Ms. Noble?" He pulled his suit jacket down and smiled brightly - She looked good. "Hi... I'm Mr. Smith of TARDIS Enterprises, so nice of you to meet up with me!" He figured she probably recognized him from being at her house after he had wiped her memory. And as far as he was concerned, this was as far as he had rehearsed this scenario in his mind. The rest would be him making it up as he went along.

Donna flashed him a smile and smoothed down her skirt - yes, a skirt. It was a rare sight to see. She offered him her hand. "A pleasure. ...Smith... Oh, you're a friend of my Gramps, aren't you? Well, that clears up the mystery of how you got hold of a copy of my CV." The sly old devil.

TARDIS... The word sounded familiar yet she couldn't put her finger on why. Like memory just out of reach. "Hope you don't mind me asking, what exactly is it that TARDIS Enterprises does?"

"A traveling company... of sorts. You name the location, we make it happen." He grinned momentarily while tugging at his ear, "Yeah, I've, uh, traveled with your 'gramps' a few times. I've been really needing an assistant and happened to run into him the other day and he couldn't stop recommending you."

Well that worked out his favor, despite it being a bit of a lie. "So Ms. Noble, if you don't mind, tell me a bit about yourself." The Doctor suddenly had a feeling they were being watched. Determining they weren't in danger quite yet, he kept his focus on her, placing all his nods and smiles at the correct locations.

Donna Noble had the ability to out-talk most people. It was a special gift. It was also a curse. Still, years of office work had left her with the skill to talk almost any situation around to her favour, well, at least when it came to business. Her talking skills had won businesses some big contracts, never seemed to work the same when her temping period was up with same said businesses.

She rambled on about her life and her various temping positions and her accident and her desire to travel. Eventually she stopped to catch her breath and gave him a sheepish smile. "Sorry, I'm rambling on and on."

"Oh no, it's fine! I..." There was that wave of paranoia again. Someone was definitely watching. "...would like to show you the office."

He stood up quickly, rambling about how the office really didn't look like much, but promised it was quite adequate. Donna walked with him, listening to his rambling and nodding when appropriate. She'd worked in all kinds of offices from tiny cupboards to luxurious open spaces with glass walls and all the modern technologies. When they went up a couple flights of stairs, he continued on about a story of traveling to exotic locations until they paused at a locked door.

He hesitated for moment as he dug in his inner jacket pocket - really, he had no exact idea of when her memories would start flooding back. Would they start when she'd see the TARDIS behind the door or even earlier when he was about to pull out his sonic screwdriver? Or would it occur when whatever was following them caught up and he would be forced to run once again?

"Donna..." He pulled his empty hand out of his pocket and spun around to face her, "We've actually met before. I mean, before that one day you saw me at your house, before your accident. In fact, we've actually traveled together." The Doctor paused and licked his lips for a moment, "I know this sounds bizarre, but what do you remember before the accident?"

She backed away slightly at his words, not wanting to listen anymore. "Stop it!" She'd spent countless hours seeing different doctors and psychologists and God knows what other 'professionals' about her recurring dreams of travelling with the 'man in the suit'. She'd spent so long convincing herself that the man wasn't real and that she only saw John's face because he was the first person she saw after all the nonsense.

She wanted to run. She wanted to run and hide from it all. "I'm a temp, from Chiswick. That's what I do, that's what I am." She brought her hand up to her head, pressing on her temples as the pain began to build up.

And it was starting. He pulled out the sonic screwdriver, wiggled his eyebrows with enthusiasm at her, and unlocked the door revealing the big blue box they knew so well.

"You're not going crazy, Donna. We traveled in th'TARDIS." He nodded towards the police box. "Do you remember now?" Slipping a hand around her back, since she was looking as if she'd pass out, he lead towards it and unlocked the door quickly. "I need you to come with me again, Donna."

"Stop! It!" The memories rushed back like a tidal wave, or a river breaking it's dam. It hurt. Oh, it hurt so much. The visions from her dreams were suddenly bolder, brighter and louder. She tried to break away from his hold. "Make it stop!" Tears filled her eyes as the pain got worse. She was torn between running, curling up in a ball and throwing up.

She began to burn up just as the Doctor had warned Sylvia and Wilf she would. Her mind was overloading with information it couldn't handle. Her skin was hot to the touch, and once inside, he quickly pulled down the Chameleon Arch from above, managing to maneuver Donna underneath. He honestly wasn't sure if this was going to work or not, but it was worth the try.

"It'll stop... The pain will go away... but not until I try this. It'll hurt just for a little bit longer then it'll all be over." He refrained from saying 'I promise' because honestly, this idea was crazy and he might lose Donna forever, but he didn't know any other choice.

Donna was scared, no, Donna was _petrified_. Petrified and in pain. And dangling strange alien contraptions above her? Really not helping the fear. She wanted her grandad. She wanted the pain to stop. It felt as though her head would explode - which, of course was a possibility.

"It hurts. It hurts so much..." She clutched her head harder, trying to ebb the pain away with little success.

He vaguely remembered how much this hurt when he went through it himself, but watching her scream and clutch her head was definitely one of the most difficult things he was forced to watch. How was Martha able to just stand back and watch?

The Doctor reached out, placing his hand on her temples and assisted the TARDIS's controls... searching through the Time Lord data stored in her, shifting things around, removing the fail safe, trying to ease the pain.

And before he knew it, he opened his eyes and again and they were both collapsed on the floor. "Donna...?" He was groggy and then quickly sat up to his knees. "Donna!? Donna, are you all right?" He seriously hoped this had worked.

It was a long while before Donna regained consciousness. She was vaguely aware of the Doctor calling her name but she didn't have the strength or energy to answer him. Stupid alien with his stupid alien techonology. It was hardly a walk in the park, having alien machinery rewrite parts of her. Just wait until she has the energy to slap him. It was the single most painful experience of her life. Nothing else even came close. Eventually her eyes blink open, looking up at him unfocused and blurry; wet with unshed tears.

"Hey... Hi." He smoothed her hair, trying to be comforting. "I'm so sorry I had to do that."

He wiped away a stray tear that escaped out the corner of her eye. "I need you, Donna. I need my best mate..." The Doctor still wasn't sure if he and the TARDIS were successful in what just happened, but figured if she wasn't running away from him, he was slightly successful.

She rolled her head to the side, letting out a groan. "Ugh... I feel like I've been hit by a lorry." And she'd bitten her tongue and had a bloodied mouth. Lovely. She attempted to sit up - bad mistake - the room seemed to spin, so she laid back down, flopping an arm across her eyes.

"What just happened?"

He sat back, palms behind him supporting his weight. "Before I met you, I had to go in hiding once." He nodded to the headphone-like structure above them. "That's the Chameleon Arch, it rewrites Time Lord cellular structure and hides the Time Lord part of you in a symbolic item. For me it was a watch, for you..." He looked around and picked up an intricately carved locket that had slide away from them.

"Yes, this is it... I think?" He looked at it nonchalantly, convinced it was just a necklace and nothing particularly special and handed it to her. "An heirloom of yours?" The Doctor briefly forgot what any possible significance the necklace had until it left his hand into hers - "You won't won't ever feel compelled to open the locket, and don't. Just don't open it anyway."

"It was my Nan's. I wore it for luck, y'know, interview and all..." She had no desire to open it. There was no need. She already knew there was nothing in it no pictures, no locks of hair, nothing. She turned it over in her hands a few times, before handing it back to the Doctor. And then she was intrigued by it. "So that locket? It contains Time Lord essence? It has the Time Lord part of me in it? So basically, that locket, is part of you?"

That wasn't really something she wanted to gamble with. "What if I lose it? Can't we leave it here, on the TARDIS?" Because leaving Time Lord essence on a time and space ship was always a good idea. Not.

"Well, I guess... yes?" He stared at the locket, again briefly baffled at what the fuss is about. It was just a locket. He placed it on the console.

And again, as soon as it left his hands, he remembered. "There really is no safe place anymore except the TARDIS... at least at this moment." He glanced back to her, feeling guilty about her bright red lips from what appeared to be from blood.

The Doctor opened his mouth to say something more, but then felt the ship violently shake around them. Bouncing back to his feet, he hurriedly pressed buttons and pulled levers. "I've stayed too long!" The whirling started up as the TARDIS began to move.

"Donna, you have 10 minutes to gather whatever you need at home, no more and possibly less. I'll explain everything to you soon, just trust me."

Well, his words were just filling her with a sense of confidence and security... If by confidence and security she actually meant fear and worry. Trust him? He'd just kidnapped her and attached her to a very painful machine with hardly any warning. He wasn't exactly filling her with confidence or trust right now... She pushed herself to her feet and joined him at the console. She was still feeling a little disorientated and out of sorts and all she really wanted to do was crawl into a nice warm bed and stay there for a month. "You'll explain now, Sunshine. What the bleedin' hell is going on?!"

Now wasn't the best time. He wanted to explain everything when he could get them out in space, at least there he was far harder to detect and follow and gave him time to think.

"I'm on the run." He was always on the run so this reply wasn't very adequate for her. "I'm being followed... _been_ followed for months now. I don't know exactly by who or why, but they're growing more persistent. I needed help."

She arched a brow. "When the going gets tough, the Time Boy comes running back to Donna, eh?"

He glanced over to her with the faintest smile as the TARDIS whirled as they landed. "Ten minutes."

Once the TARDIS came to a halt, she frowned at the door. Ten minutes to get what she needed and get back? What was this? Evacuation, TARDIS style? She headed inside, luckily Sylvia was out. Donna was glad, she had no idea how she'd explain being kidnapped by the skinny git after everything. So, she spent at least five of her ten minutes writing a letter.

She went to her room, raided her wardrobe and drawers, and then raided the bathroom before returning to the TARDIS nine minutes and fifty nine seconds after leaving.

She was perturbed with him, and he honestly couldn't blame her for it. While he waited, he mapped out a vague idea of where to camp out, and that would be on the edges of the milky way where any sort of signals were fuzzy if he was in just in the right location.

And after about 20 more minutes, that was their exact location, the Doctor breathing a sigh of relief. Spinning on his heels, he rested his palms on the console and looked in her direction.

"Eight months ago I was on Argos having my Sonic fixed and adapted and was stopped and questioned by what I suppose were investigators. Very nosy fellas, yet very clever. I didn't think anything of it, until they tried to break into th'TARDIS. Two weeks after that, I started noticing I was being followed. After that, the Judoon starting appearing, which means the Shadow Proclamation is involved in some way. A day ago, the TARDIS got stuck in a force field and I was nearly killed trying to get 'er out."

He rolled up his jacket sleeve to show her his arm where it was red as if he had been burned. "And I got to thinking this is so very strange, and after the first encounter, I received a message from Sarah." He pressed a few buttons and displayed the viewing monitor to Donna with the message,

_Run, Doctor. They're after you. Don't trust anyone._

He scratched his head and shrugged, "I can't do this alone anymore."

She listened, leaning against the railing. She had so many questions she wanted to ask, but one, just one, kept dancing around her head and eventually she had to ask. "Why _me_? Out of all your companions, why me? I'm nothing special, I never have been. I mean Martha? She's a doctor, she could've looked after you. Jack? He can't die, he could protect you. Even Sarah Jane is all smart and stuff when it comes to aliens... What about Rose? I'm sure if you'd tried you could've found a way back to that parallel world."

He grew quiet, adopting a melancholy look to him. "Sarah Jane has a son... I can't take her away from all that. Martha has UNIT, Jack has Torchwood, and Rose... Well... Donna, you're _brilliant_! You've helped me loads of times; you're my best mate! You keep me level-headed, and that's exactly why I need you with me."

Part of her wanted to believe it, to believe she was brilliant, but that part of her that was filled with self-loathing and self-doubt - thank you Sylvia and school bullies, your work is done - took his explanation to mean she was second best. The fall guy, the one people ran to when there were no other options.

"So brilliant that you wiped my mind and took me home, eh?" It was a sensitive spot she hadn't quite gotten over yet. She didn't want to be mad at him, really she didn't. She just couldn't help it.

"I had to. I had no choice; you were burning up! I didn't even know the Chameleon Arch was going to work just now. That was purely my guessing and brilliant luck... I didn't want you to die."

She exhaled a heavy sigh. So much had happened in such a short space of time that her head was still spinning from it all. "The Shadow Proclamation? They're probably still pissed at you for doing a runner on them during that whole Dalek nonsense..."

He didn't know what else to say and he stood there, mouth hanging open searching for more words. When they refused to come he just ran his hands through his hair in frustration. "I'm sorry... This was stupid. I shouldn't involve you in all this."

This entire past year hadn't exactly been going how he would've liked, between Davros returning, witnessing Rose kiss not-him-but-it-was-him-kind-of, losing Donna's friendship, and now being some how framed.

Really not the best way to win someone's trust, Doctor. Admitting that he gambled with her life and it's only by luck she's now not dead from burning up. Donna was unsure whether to glare or be shocked, or whether to punch the skinny git so hard all future regenerations would feel it... "Well, you could've tried the Chameliwhatsit before! Instead of leaving me at home missing half my memories!" And to make sure he was completely sure of her view on the matter, she threw a shoe at his head. "God, you are such hard work! I let you out of my sight for one minute and the whole universe gets in a muddle."

He ducked out of the way from the flying shoe. "Oi!" But there was the Donna he knew, and knew that even though she didn't actually _say_it, she forgave him. Good to know. He wouldn't be able to live with himself if she didn't or at least made this new adventure far more complicated and awkward than it should be.

And then he broke out into a grin, "Well, it seems to be what I do best. Time Lords? Complications? Stories of our lives. I'd hate to be so dull."

Well, what sort of mate would she be if she couldn't overlook the occasional near-death experience? Still, it didn't mean she was happy about being dumped back at home like an unwanted pet, or about being _kidnapped_and shoved under an alien hair dryer.

With a huff, she rested her hands on the console. She wasn't going to be won over by a grin... well, okay, she _was_, but she wasn't going to admit it. "So, what's the plan? Can't just hide here forever."

"Right, a plan." He totally had a plan, a plan to press random buttons on the console and float around space a little more. What more could one ask for!?

"We need to figure out what rumors are out there. What have I supposedly done? Who is after me?" There had to be a reason why his actions were being so closely monitored.

"Well can you think of _anything_ you've done that might've annoyed some people? Offended anyone? Landed the TARDIS on some sacred landmark? Anything?" There really was no telling with a man like the Doctor. He went everywhere and everywhen and he could be pretty rude. "Where have you been recently?"

"Hm.. Argos, England 1923, Shanghai 1993 - I learned how to play Mah Jong! - Voga, Sunday, Erm... I don't know where else." He had been traveling and exploring. Anything to take his mind off of the previous events that had occurred. "I had a run-in with some Cybermen, but other than that, I don't know what happened." He shrugged.

None of that sounded particularly worthy of the Shadow Proclamation's attentions - well, providing he didn't blow up Argos - but even that was pretty much routine for trips with the Doctor. "Must be something pretty big to get you headhunted. You sure you haven't, I dunno, deflowered some kind of Goddess or put a mug on some kind of altar? Anything?"

"I certainly haven't done any deflowering, and I'd be quite sad if I lost my favorite mug - I once stuck it in the very back cabinet in the kitchen - blimey, I was depressed for weeks until I found it!"

He rubbed his eye both a habit in thought and some slight irritation, "I honestly don't know, and would like to find out if given a chance to not be locked up."

Very bad luck. The Doctor always seemed to attract trouble. One great big, outer space trouble magnet, that's what he is. Still, this seemed to go above and beyond his usual bad luck.

"Right... well, how about I make us a cup of tea and we try to figure out exactly what's going on and how to fix it, eh? That's what you do, fix things."

He was trying to refrain from being a depressed and mopey Time Lord, but he wasn't sure if he could fix this one. It wasn't that he wouldn't try, but it felt like every little move of his was constantly under watch and he had no room to breathe or think.

Donna pressed a reassuring hand against the Doctor's shoulder as she passed him on her way to the kitchen. Funny, it seemed forever since she last stood in the TARDIS and at the same time it was as though it was only yesterday. Still, it beat job hunting any day. Even if they were being headhunted by god knows what for heck knows why.

"Ah, tea! Good, yes, delicious!" He broke out of his revere and smiled brightly towards her as he sat in his chair, staring at the console, debating where to go first.

And soon enough, she returned to the console room with two mugs of tea in hand. "So, come on then... thought up a better plan than 'hide'?"

"I do have a idea..." He commented, gladly accepting the mug offered to him, "You just have to trust me on this..."


	2. It All Began, part 2

**Author's note: **This is written by two authors(an American & a Brit) and is actually an adapted fanfiction out a role play verse. I thought it was too good to not share. I didn't want to change much of the written content as possible, so that explains why the POVs change slightly between Doctor/Donna. Thoughts, comments, and suggestions are always welcomed. Thank you for those that read and favorite!

Hiding actually sounded fantastic, but didn't make a very interesting story. Finally, the Doctor sighed. "We need to scout for information... We're going to Verron. Beautiful race... Brilliant crumpets! Ohhh they were good."

The Doctor takes a sip of tea, then glances to Donna. "They house a soothsayer. A very old, yet powerful soothsayer. One that can maybe enlighten me, yeah?"

Oh, that caused Donna to raise her eyebrow at him again. "A soothsayer? _Really_? Seriously? A soothsayer? You haven't noticed that whenever we get mixed up with soothsayers or fortune tellers or whatever you want to call them that bad things always happen?" Well... twice. But it was enough to make Donna wary of people who could 'see the future'.

"Isn't there some kind of... I dunno, _Space Google_ you can search or sommat? Intergallatic newspapers? Anything?"

The Doctor looked off at nothing in particular. In all honesty, he completely agreed with her in the matters of soothsayers.

"Unfortunately I'm being tracked, meaning I have to try and be clever - which I am - and go to places that aren't typically me. Never actually been to Verron, but am familiar with the race. I need to maintain a low profile as much as I can."

"Tracked? What, like, Time Lord microchipping? Sat-tracking? Alien paparazzi? Then again, you do travel in a big blue box, hardly blends in at car parks. Seriously, it's like Ford, Ford, Skoda, TARDIS, BMW, mini."

"But listen though, if they're tracking you," whoever 'they' are, "then it's not safe for you to be waltzing about alien planets. You stay nice and cosy on the TARDIS and I'll go."

"Ohh, most definitely not!" It wasn't that he didn't trust her to scout out things, "I can't be gallivanting around time and space too scared to go out and have you do all my dirty work. What will that make me look like?" Of course he had a reputation to uphold.

"Meh, it's all in the title. Time _Lord_. Should be allowed to sit on some sort of throne all day and give out orders - don't get any ideas though. I'm not putting up with any of that nonsense." Last bloke who had tried to order her about ended up with two black eyes and a broken nose. "You want a skivvy then you should've picked up some lovestruck teenager."

Rubbing his eye, he continued, "I'll be fine, Donna. Let's go, like old times, eh?"

She shot him the 'look'. That infamous Noble look. "Like old times? Don't remember being hounded by space police and headhunters last time."

"No, but we did alot 'o exploring and running. As long as I'm not killed, I'd hate for you to be stuck on some random planet by yourself. Unless they worshiped you. Then maybe you wouldn't complain." He wiggled his eyebrows before slowly pressing a few buttons and turning the wheel to the TARDIS console. "We're in this together. No you. No I. Just us." He'll probably regret saying that later, but for the time being...

Well, at least a lovestruck teenager would do his every bidding and follow every order like an obedient puppy dog. Yes sir, no sir, three bags full sir. No way would he get Donna running around like his slave. Well~ maybe if he was on his deathbed or badly injured she'd look after him for a while.

"OI! You're not dying and leaving me on some alien planet by myself! Besides, won't that Emergency Programme One thingy take me home nice and safe?" Not even being a Ginger Goddess would make being stuck on a planet without her friends and family worth it. "Anyway, you're not going to die. You're the Doctor, you'll be around for like... ever."

"Get off! I didn't sat anything about me dying!" Really, he had no intentions of dying any time soon. Where did she get these ideas? The Shadow Proclamation might be after him (at least that's who he thinks is after him. Even those details are a bit fuzzy), but they wouldn't kill him... not yet at least. They had too much fun putting one up for trial and read off their numerous laws and amendments, in their entirety, to remind you what you had violated.

Well Donna doesn't know the ins and outs of alien law. They could shoot him in the head on sight for all she knew. She hoped they wouldn't - not only would it be incredibly messy, but she'd miss the git too. "You better not die! You'll have me to answer to if you do!"

After a few more minutes and the Doctor happily finishing off his cup of tea, the whirling sounded as they started their landing. The Doctor greatly hoped the TARDIS managed to lock onto a well disguised location. One could hope.

Once the TARDIS was still and secure, Donna headed towards the door. That feeling of wonder and fear and excitement was bubbling away inside her. "Come on then, Skinny Boy."

When the door opened, it looked as if they had stepped into a jungle, only the plants - if you could call them that - were in varying shades of purples and blacks. "Well, at least I won't have any trouble finding you." Her ginger hair was a stark contrast to their surroundings, but luckily the TARDIS was able to blend in to an extent.

"Oi! Cheeky." The curse of the ginger. Even on distant alien planets the ginger hair stood out like a sore thumb. Seriously, why couldn't she've been born blonde or brunette? Maybe she should shave the lot off!

The Doctor's eyes were wide with curiosity as he looked around their new location as they followed a path he hoped would lead them to where they needed to be. After a few feet of walking, the path stopped in front of a door. That's right, a door standing by itself, where you could wave your arm around it and look past it and it all looked just the same. "I say we unlock it, eh?"

Donna followed. Seriously, he was like a kid in a sweet shop sometimes, or a kid on Christmas morning. All wide eyed wonderment. It was easy to forget just how old he was. Still, the door was weird interesting, to say the least. "No expert, but... shouldn't a door, y'know, have a wall attached to it?"

"Yes, it's very curious how it stands alone by itself in the frame and no wall or any anchors." He spoke nonchalantly as if it was preposterous that Donna expected anything different.

Pulling out his sonic screwdriver, he unlocked the door, and complete with a knowing smirk to Donna, opened it... and it sucked both of them right in. When the Doctor finally felt it was safe to open his eyes, he didn't really know what to believe as their surroundings looked like some futuristic forest city. Futuristic in the sense that the village was clearly located amongst trees only the trees had electronic circuits showing through the branches and there were screens attached at convenient locations.

Donna was pretty sure that the Doctor was trying to get them killed. Seriously. First he shoved her under that alien hair dryer and then he opened up weird alien doors. Yup. He was trying to kill her.

Once she caught her breath and decided it was somewhat safe enough to open her eyes, she glanced around. "Not your average treehouses. Come on then, Spaceman. Let's go find this mad ol' soothsayer, find out who's trying to kill you and get outta here." Because, really, she didn't have time to change and skirt suit and court shoes? Not idea running wear.

A short hooded figure walked over to where they were standing. "Welcome visitors." It pulled out a device that looked similar to the Doctor's screwdriver and scanned them both. _"Species Identified... Compiling... Compiling... Human... and... Time Lord." _The Doctor quirked an eyebrow in the figure's direction, but stayed silent.

"Fascinating! A Time Lord? I thought that species was eradicated?" The object was put away in a pocket and it was as if the figure cocked it's head to scrutinize them both. "What brings you here?"

The Doctor glanced at Donna then spoke. "Well, actually, I'm the last one... Time Lord, that is. I was curious to meet with the soothsayer."

"Eradicated? Makes you sound like some sort of pest or sommat. Like an outer space rodent," Donna half-teased. But she always knew where to draw the line when it came to Time Lord talk. Anything to avoid the 'LAST OF THE TIME LORDS' speech/emo/angst.

"Right then, soothsayer, is he about? Is he a bloke? I mean, you never know, could a be a woman, is it a woman? Anyway~ Can we pop in or do we need an appointment? Our diary is pretty empty right now."

The Doctor grinned at Donna's comments before focusing back to their greeter.

"The soothsayer has no gender... No gender nor bias is to interfere with the readings. The hooded figure took a step forward as if to scrutinize the two before speaking again. "You've both traveled very far, yes? What is the nature of meeting with the soothsayer?"

Momentarily the Doctor scratched his head, "Oh, certain questions have come about... Sorry, the less everyone knows the better." The greeter hesitated, as if waiting for a reply.

Donna nodded at the Doctor. "_He_ has questions, _I'm_just his secretary, you know, make the coffee, fetch the cakes, keep him outta trouble... Suppose it's more like babysitting, really. PA, yeah, PA, I like that better. I'm his PA." She was also very good at rambling. But at least the greeter hadn't accused them of being a couple.

"Come with me."

"Meeting with the soothsayer. This is exciting." She fell into step with the Doctor. "What do we call them? Your Soothship? How'd you greet a soothsayer?"

The Doctor flashed a smile towards Donna as they walked up a few flights of stairs and eventually entering in one of the trees. Surprisingly for a tree, at least it looked like one from the outside, there was alot of room inside, opening up with high ceilings and ornate patterns decorating the walls.

Finally they reached another room, where fabrics and pillows decorated the floor - how stereotypical! On a stand there was what looked like a tiny woman with symbols decorating her face. She (Well, it looked like a she, even though whoever it was that greeted them said there was no gender) wore thick clothing and had eyes that were red, but looked blank without defined pupils.

Clearing his throat, the Doctor began to speak, but was quickly cut off. "I knew you'd arrive." The soothsayer's mouth didn't move, instead the voice was heard in his mind.

"I... err, _what?_"

As Donna stated - not your typical treehouse. Bit like the TARDIS, bigger on the inside. Seriously, Donna needed a wardrobe like that back home in Chiswick. She loved her TARDIS wardrobe. So much space and just about an outfit for every occasion. Brilliant.

"I see they've gone with soothsayer chic - drapes and pillows. Still, looks nice. Very... soothsayer...ish." Those eyes? Yeah, they were creepy, so creepy that Donna decided to stare at a pillow as if it were the most interesting thing in the universe.

Well, at least until the Doctor started being all weird on her. A puzzled Doctor was never good. "Spaceman?"

He realized she must not be able to hear the soothsayer, and without thinking, pressed a hand to her temple, opening the link up for her, as he did once before so she could hear the Ood sing.

_I am the soothsayer... I see... all... I see... events that are possible in the future. They come to me through dreams or premonitions, Doctor._

Donna flinched. She couldn't help it. She has issues with having her head touched these days thanks to a certain memory stealing git in a suit. But at least she could now hear the soothsayer. Inside her head. Wizard. "Oh, that's just creepy..."

The soothsayer blinked and turned it's head as if judging them. _I know you very well, although your face changes everytime I see a prophecy of yours... However, not all of these are guaranteed... to come true._

"Good to know I might be wasting my time." The Doctor spoke cheerfully as he took a seat on a pillow, motioning for Donna to join him.

She settled herself down on the pillow next to the Doctor's. "So, these possible events? That like daily horoscopes then? A load of nonsense that we try to find truth in? My mate Nerys, her stars said she'd find love by a lake. She don't even like water, but because her stars said lake, she booked a holiday by a lake and pulled."

The soothsayer continued speaking, ignoring Donna's comments completely, but not before it looked at her blank-eyed.

_You are... under prosecution, Doctor? What details do you know?_

The Doctor squirmed, as if trying to find a comfortable position but having no luck. "Sparsely... The Judoon have been starting to show up on some of my travels, making me think the Shadow Proclamation is somehow involved. Or at least I'm being tracked."

_You are valuable prize, Doctor._At that comment the soothsayer's face cracked into a wicked, soundless smile. To say the least, it was very eery.

_I've heard of many of your travels and meeting with the Daleks, the rewriting time... It comes with a price. Everything... comes with a price._

"Oi! He's not a prize to be hunted, thank you very much. Had enough of the Sebastiene... bloke... thing trying to wall mount him on Planet 1." That hadn't been fun at all. Prizes were supposed to be medals or money or heck, even chocolate. Not dead/maimed/tortured Time Lords.

"Yeah, yeah, rewriting time, everything comes with a price... Oi, what rewriting time? The Doctor's very good at following the rules of time. Seriously. It's like living with a walking rule book."

"Erm, yeah, I haven't done exactly everything by the rules, Donna..." The Doctor scratched his head, his gaze sheepishly flashing to Donna, then back to the soothsayer. "But nothing... recently."

The soothsayer's creepy grin stayed as it once again cocked it's head in curiosity. _If it was not you, then who else would it be... Doctor? Changes... do not have to be fast nor immediately. The most important changes occur over time... leading up to a point... do they not?_

The Doctor frowned and leaned forward, "Are you saying I've managed to do something, without realizing it, to change time?" He brow furrowed, "I don't understand..."

"Told you, vague as a horoscope. No use at all. I could've told you that you might have done something, don't need super seeing powers for that. That's just common sense." Yeah, Donna should really learn when to keep her mouth shut.

She picked at the corner of her pillow idly. "Got any useful information like... what exactly Skinny Boy has done or why they're chasing us?"

Wordlessly, the soothsayer's face turned to an angered snarl. _Do not test my judgement, or question my words, foolish human!_

The Doctor placed a hand on Donna's knee as both a comforting gesture and as a means of warning to be careful. Glancing back at the soothsayer, "She means no harm!"

_You, Doctor, have stolen a very priceless item, and it has not angered the Shadow Proclamation, but placed fear into them. Fear of possibilities and fear of the unknown. There are consequences of such actions..._

The soothsayer paused in it's actions and a blank look - if that were possible for someone who already naturally had a blank look - and grew silent. The Doctor jumped to his feet and began to run over to it.

_Stop, Time Lord..._ It's body stayed frozen but gaze looked to him, _There is another prophecy about you... One very different and with very different turn of events... Curious. Yes, very curious._

And echoing through their heads there was an unnerving, uncontrollable laughter, as the soothsayer seemed to have lost any sense of reality or sanity as it started drumming on the floor in beats of four. _Oh, Doctor, what will you do?_

Donna had shut up and listened to what the soothsayer had to say. At least until the cackling and the dragging and the running...

"Donna, let's go." The Doctor backed up quickly, and reached out to take her hand, helping her to her feet. As they quickly made their exit, the laughing continued as the soothsayer cried out in between the cackles, _What will you do? Run? Oh, run, Doctor, you're quite good at that._

Donna was pretty sure that she had no idea what had just happened other than the fact it was freaky and happened far too fast for her liking. When they eventually slowed their running enough for her to try and catch her breath - hey, she hasn't done running for her life from crazy aliens in a while, alright?

"Right... what the hell just happened?"

"That was... interesting to say the least." The Doctor reached over and closed the open link in Donna, slightly paranoid that something would happen and incapacitate either her or him or both.

Easy with the mind shenanigans! Next time those fingers come anywhere near her temples, Donna may well snap the damn things off. Her head isn't a tap to be switched on and off at will, thank you very much, Spaceman.

They made their way out of the tree house and moved toward the entrance they came through. The Doctor made profuse apologies of not being able to stay and that their lumpy, vomit-looking tea they were offering looked delightful, but they were on a schedule.

There were many questions the Doctor had, and was ignoring Donna's own questions during the process of going back to the TARDIS. All he wanted now was to try and forget the cackling that was still echoing through his mind and the disturbing smile the soothsayer had plastered across it's face.

Donna fell into step beside the Doctor, making a grab for his wrist. "Oi! Doctor! Stop ignoring me and start explaining what the _heck_ is going on or so help me I will slap you so hard!"

She forced him to spin around and face her. Initially he avoided her gaze, then met it. "Well that soothsayer is a bit nutters. I certainly haven't stolen anything, and if I have, I'm sure it wasn't anything significant."

He might've stolen some chocolate truffles at one point, maybe a few wires, but really he couldn't think of anything he had done recently that was significant.

That earned him the dreaded brow of doom. "Told you. Didn't I? Didn't I say bad things always happen when we meet soothsayers? Didn't I say it was a waste of time? Should've listened to me."

She sighed, looking at him for a long moment, clicking her tongue against the back of her teeth. "You sure you haven't pinched anything? Teaspoon? Space junk? Anything? Accidently popped a Curly Wurly in those giant pockets of yours and forgotten to pay?"

He scoffed, "No, I haven't!"

They trudged through the rest of the jungle and finally coming back to the TARDIS. "I mean, I've run off to a few places, but I didn't pop off with something stuffed in my pockets. I honestly don't know what the soothsayer is talking about."

After unlocking the door, the Doctor leaned against the railing, hands stuffed in his pockets.

"You even have any idea what's in those pockets of yours? Seriously, I bet you've got a flamin' _house_in there or sommat." She dropped down onto the jumpseat. The trip had been a waste of time and they still didn't have any answers.

She was silent, but it only lasted a few moments. "What did that nutjob mean when they said there was another prophecy about you? How's that work then? Different turn of events?"

He shrugged once again. "Don't know. I guess not only is the Shadow Proclamation out for me, but I guess something else out there is as well?"

He sighed. This was all too much for one day, even for a Time Lord. Finally glancing over to Donna, he smiled subtly. "I know you're frustrated at me and all this, but I'm glad you're here."

"You won't be saying that when my mum finds out where I am. Never mind the Shadow Proclamation, you'll be running from her. Don't forget she has an axe. Would you regenerate if she smashed your head in with an axe? Does it work like that? Or would you just be dead?" Oh, lovely topic, Donna.

Even so, she returned his smile. "Well, I'm going to get changed and make a cup of tea while you figure out our next move."

His smile turned wide and greatly amused at her question. Humor, he needed that and it was greatly appreciated in light of what mess seemed to be ahead of them.

When Donna walked off, the Doctor moved over to the TARDIS's console and slowly started pressing buttons and turning levers to take them back out where they were previously in space. He needed to just hide and lay low for a bit and see if there are clues out there about where to go next.

Hide and lay low? Stay in the same place for more than a few minutes? Thank heavens the TARDIS was bigger on the inside or else Donna may've been forced to brutally murder the Doctor herself, never mind head-hunters and whatnot. She knew full well he was rubbish at waiting and staying still.

Once she had changed out of her interview skirt suit and into something much more comfortable - hello jeans and tunic-shirt - she headed off to make tea. How very British of her. Good cup of tea fixes everything, well, some things.

She returned to the console room carrying two mugs. "Come on then, what's our next move, Time Boy?"

Donna might have thought the soothsayer was a waste of time, but at least they now knew what to look for - stolen items that potentially were priceless, or maybe they don't seem priceless at all, which is how they were taken so easily. May the investigation begin.


End file.
